Plan Building a Town Centre in London Js

by Michel Trocme

Corporation to lead a more socially, envi­ communicated in the brief) did not play a A HISTORIC SHIFT is occurring in London as its ronmentally and economically sustainable significant role in the development of the centre of gravity moves eastwards. The financial regeneration of London's waterfront design. The very nature of the competition district of London's "New East," , has assets. The LDA, working closely with the process inhibited any consultation with already generated 50,000 jobs and will double that , have pro­ adjacent residents and business interests. ceeded with an integrated, sustainable number in the next few years. The surrounding Isle economic and social framework for the The big moves of Dogs is home to 80,000 people. The eastward Royal Docks as a residential community, a A focal point of our team's development expansion has now reached the Royal Docks, which major employment location, and an proposal is the National Aquarium, an were at the heart ofBritain's international trade for attractive leisure destination. Great care institution of international drawing power well over 100 years and form the last large land asset has been taken to make multifaceted link­ (attracting 1.5 million visitors a year) ages between the evolving which will create strong site recognition. in the Docklands. community and the established communi­ Additional destination uses, culture and ties of and North entertainment around the dock will ensure Situated on the north bank of the River Woolwich. Silvertown Quay's position as the town centre and an active year-round destina­ Thames, five kilometres east of Canary Several new developments have already tion. Responding to these development Wharf, the Royal Docks hosts one of taken place: ExCel (London's new interna­ ideas, to the scale and complexity of the Europe's largest regeneration projects, tional exhibition centre), the University of site, and to the requirements of the com­ occupying 172 hectares of land and 95 East London Docklands' campus, an petition brief, we developed a few simple hectares of water, and spanning two expanded , new com­ principles that provide the frame for the bends in the . mercial buildings, and a thousand residen­ master plan , within which buildings, places tial units. Extensions to the Docklands The early redevelopment of the and activities are placed : Docklands, best known for Olympia and Light Rail are being built in anticipation of York's Canary Wharf, has been a mixed further regeneration. The most stunning Establishing linkages success. The legacy of Margaret Thatcher's example of the LDA's new approach is the The plan establishes crucial connections to free-market planning, which gave free wonderful new Park, places and activities around Silvertown reign to developers and encouraged strategically located on the riverfront, in Quays. "Ti:ie Diagonal," a major pedes­ investment through tax incentives, has the heart of Silvertown. By building the trian axis through the site, will link produced a stunning amount of develop­ park before any development had Newham communities and ExCel to the ment in a ten-year span. However, the occurred, the LDA has raised the bar of River Thames and Barrier Park. Two DLR quality of the resulting urban fabric, other design excellence, indicated a clear com­ stations (on separate lines) and other focal than Canary Wharf, leaves much to be mitment to community building, and cre­ points will bring intense activity to this desired: most of developments are isolated ated value which the development com­ spine. Pedestrian linkages to communities from one another and take little advan­ munity has eagerly responded to. west and east of Silvertown Dock are also tage of their waterfront sites, resulting in Adjacent to the park, at the heart of this a key element of the plan. new district, is , a an unappealing water's edge. Focusing on the dock twenty-two hectare site that will be the The establishes a Photo: courtesy of Conscious of past errors and missed district centre of the Royal Docks. Urban Stategies opportunities, the London Development "green room" south of the site, stretching Model built by Andrew Ingham, Agency (LDA) was formed in 1998 to down to the Thames, with its own distinct London UK The challenge of replace the earlier London Docklands geometry. The Silvertown Dock is a Silvertown Quays remarkable and comparably sized "blue The objective set in the LDA's brief for room," which the master plan capitalizes Silvertown Quays was to create a vibrant on by focusing public activities at its waterfront master plan , integrating a mix edges. The docks will provide a broad vari­ of uses that amplify the Royals regional ety of waterfront conditions, such as draw and create a town centre with shop­ planted promenades, hard-edge shipping ping and community services, all quays, plazas in varying relation to the expressed in a design that emphasizes the water, streets for slow-moving vehicles, a uniqueness of the Docks. lift bridge, seating steps, naturalized areas, and boardwalks at water level , all setting One of the many challenges of working the stage for a range of activities in an on such a competition is "reverse consul­ engaging environment. Straddling the tation ": our team responded to a detailed green and blue rooms is the National brief, and to intricacies of the site, but Aquarium , a frame for the park and a local issues and concerns (beyond those threshold to the water.

27 Octobre•Novembre• Dccemhre 2002, Vol. 42 , N° 4 Plan A flexible development The importance of feedback framework The design evolved during an intensive The framework of interconnected streets six-month competition which involved and blocks establishes a simple structure regular input and feedback from the that will accommodate a variety of uses developer team, engineers and a myriad and building-forms, and respond to shifts of other consultants, including five groups in the market as the plan is implemented. of architects whose building designs lent a The north-south pattern of streets, each vibrant urban character to the submission. terminating in a view to the water, echoes A considerable amount of community traces of the neighbourhood that formerly input was reflected in the competition occupied the site. Weaving across these, brief, giving us a strong sense of local Oriental Road, with its wide, tree-lined Royal desires and sensitivities. At a number of V c oria Dock sidewalks will be the "high street" to the critical junctures, we met with the LDA Royals . Design guidelines will ensure high­ and the Borough of Newham to review quality buildings that reinforce and con­ Borough of the team's progress in a way that pro­ Newham tribute to the vitality of the public realm. vided local responses, all of which proved A number of different architects will be invaluable. For example, it was suggested engaged to bring an urbane, rich variety Establish Linkages that a neighbourhood park be added in of built expressions to Silvertown Quays. the eastern portion of the site, a welcome Making special spaces around improvement to the plan. the dock The national, regional and local activities Consensus-based planning played an have been strategically located to high­ important role in crafting the brief and light special attributes of the site. The resulted in compelling ideas for the site. National Aquarium is the fulcrum of the As we move forward into planning site, with hotel and related retail to the approvals and begin to engage the com­ west. The historic Millenium Mills (refur­ munity, a number of issues are being aired bished as lofts) create a distinct setting to that will require modifications to aspects the north of the dock, with a fitness cen­ of the plan involving traffic, use and den­ tre, a dance theatre, and artist studios sity. While the broad strokes of the plan clustered around a large south-facing remain as first envisioned, community green. The Grain Silo and finger piers to feedback is contributing significant the west of the dock are set within a plaza improvements. In hindsight, the invitation to focus initially on big ideas and respond --- designed to accommodate special events focus on the Dock ------and markets. The piers to the east form to the magic of the site was invigorating, the edge of the town-centre shopping and will continue to have beneficial long­ and community facilities. Within the dock, term effects. a large marina and water-taxi slip activate the water sheet.

Summary Michel Trocme, an associate at Urban In January 2001, the London Develop­ Strategies, is lead urban designer on a wide ment Agency issued an international call range of public and private-sector pro;ects, for a partner to redevelop the Silvertown including urban revitalization frameworks, Docks at the heart of London's Royal new community designs, and regional Docks. Silvertown Quays Ltd., a consor­ planning. Michel is currently working on the tium of developers, hired Urban Strategies implementation of his master plan for to lead a consultant team responsible for A Flexible Framework producing a master plan for the competi­ Silvertown Quays in London's Docklands. tion. This article describes the rapid trans­ His other urban waterfront pro;ects include formation of the Docklands within an the recently completed master plans for evolving planning regime and describes Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York and Fan Urban Strategies' winning submission for a Pier in Boston. He can be reached at new town center in the Royal Docks. (416) 340-9004 or at: Sommaire [email protected] En janvier 2001, la London Development Agency recherchait un partenaire pour amenager le Silvertown Docks, au creur du Royal Docks de la vil/e de Landres. Le consortium Silvertown Quays Ltd a choisi I la societe Urban Strategies (US!) pour A. National Aquarium B. Mlllenlum MIiis diriger une equipe de consultants et etablir • C.Sllo Jes parametres du concours. Le present Places Around the Dock D. Town Centre article traite de la transformation rapide du E. Neighbourhood Park site dans le cadre d'une strategie d'amena­ gement et decrit le projet gagnant de US/ pour un nouveau centre-ville a l'interieur du Royal Docks. Courtesy of Urban Strategies